Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2013/11/25/apple_buys_primesense_confirmed/

Confirmed: Apple gives nod to gobblement of Kinect-maker PrimeSense

It's fairly certain it was a nod, anyway

By Simon Sharwood

Posted in On-Prem, 25th November 2013 01:00 GMT

Apple has reportedly confirmed its interest Israeli company PrimeSense, which helped to develop Microsoft's Kinect motion sensor, by buying it.

The FT reports, as does AllThingsD, that Cupertino has written a cheque for about $350m-$360m to get its fruity fingers on the company.

Apple's not saying why it decided to acquire the company, but let's have a guess or three.

PrimeSense's best-known implementation is Microsoft's Kinect, which allows interaction at a distance of a few metres. Which would work as a television interface and fuel long-rumbling rumours that Cupertino fancies seeing itself on a telly.

The Israeli company also offers a product called “Capri” that it touts as a 3D motion-sensing system on a chip. Might it be possible to bake Capri into an iPad, so that in the future we'll have the chance to wave our hands at the Air? iPad or MacBook Air, that is.

A third theory: Samsung's already got its Airtouch gestural interface and Apple's playing catch-up.

Whatever Cupertino's up to, we may see the results quickly. The fruity company acquired fingerprint-scanning outfit AuthenTec in July 2012. A little over a year later a fingerprint scanner landed in the iPhone 5S.

If Apple speeds up the integration timeline just a little bit for PrimeSense, Christmas 2014 could be an interesting time. ®